


On the Naughty List

by fuzzytomato



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-07
Updated: 2010-12-07
Packaged: 2017-10-24 18:22:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/266495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuzzytomato/pseuds/fuzzytomato
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>written for <a href="http://eldee.livejournal.com/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://eldee.livejournal.com/"><b>eldee</b></a> for being totally awesome! quick beta done by <a href="http://archaeologist-d.livejournal.com/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://archaeologist-d.livejournal.com/"></a><b>archaeologist_d</b>. Merlin is a gift wrapper at the mall on Christmas Eve. Arthur is the prat who waited until the last minute to do his shopping.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On the Naughty List

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eldee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eldee/gifts).
  * Translation into Русский available: [Гадкий мальчишка](https://archiveofourown.org/works/492486) by [Etne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Etne/pseuds/Etne)



Merlin was at the point of strangling someone with the roll of red ribbon that was precariously draped across his own neck. The scissors he had been using for the past hour had run away with the stick-on bows, he was pretty certain, because he could not find them under the lengths of wrapping paper or in his hideous green apron.

“Gwen,” he whined as he shuffled around the table, “have you seen my scissors?”

“Oh, for the love of,” she muttered, as she expertly curled ribbon with finesse and placed yet another impeccably wrapped package on her pile. “Are they in your apron?” She didn’t even look up, just moved onto the next in a long row of presents.

Merlin blindly felt around in the front pocket again hoping not to stab himself and secretly hoping he could stab himself so he could go home.

“No, there are eleven rolls of tape, some tags, a squished chocolate and my pen.”

Gwen looked up, curls pulled back haphazardly under her green elf hat and despite her obvious annoyance, grinned.

“Merlin,” she said, clearly amused. “Did you mean to put your pen behind your ear?”

He reached up and his fingertips brushed over the cool metal. “Oh,” he said as he took them from behind his ear. “There they are.”

“You would lose your head if it wasn’t attached,” she teased.

“And I’d never find it again in this mad house.”

Merlin shuffled back over to his work station, the tip of his own elf hat bobbing in his face, jingling, and being a general nuisance. He’d take it off, but he’d been yelled at earlier for not being in dress code and though it was the last day of his holiday hire, he didn’t want to ruin his chances of getting hired next year. He needed the money and despite the ridiculous outfit, wrapping presents for the rich and posh wasn’t too terrible a job. He made more in tips during the eight hours of avoiding paper cuts than he could waiting tables.

“It is Christmas Eve,” she said as if Merlin didn’t know. She wrapped yet another present, and tagged it. “Of course it’s going to be busy.”

She walked to the front counter and called out a name. “Leon!”

A very tall man in a camel-coloured coat walked forward and took the bevy of beautifully wrapped gifts. He dropped some bills in the tip jar and thanked Gwen before walking away.

She went back to her station and began on the next pile and Merlin continued their conversation as he tried not to injure himself.

“What kind of prat leaves his Christmas shopping to the last day anyway?”

There was a pointed clearing of a throat and Merlin looked up from writing To: Sally From: Santa to find yet another last minute shopper looking disdainfully at him. The customer’s eyes roved over Merlin’s outfit, his tattered jeans, red long sleeved shirt underneath his apron full with bows and ribbons and stickers.Merlin was pretty sure he had some glitter on his face from the last package and he self-consciously rubbed at his cheek with his sleeve.

With a sigh, he grabbed the forms and walked up to the scowling, yet gorgeous, blond man.

“Can I help you, sir?” he asked, with as fake a cheerful smile as possible.

“That is an unfortunate hat,” the man said while setting his purchases down on the counter.

Merlin wished that it was the first time he had heard that but it wasn’t and it didn’t help the blush he knew was spreading over his cheeks. He rubbed a finger over the shell of his ear.

“At least it is not an unfortunate personality,” he answered.

The customer smirked then squinted and looked right at Merlin’s chest. “Do I need to contact your supervisor, _Mer_ lin,” he drawled, reading the gaudy gold nametag that Gwen had decorated with reindeer stickers “for insulting the customers?”

Merlin could feel his teeth clenching together and he grabbed his pen from behind his (unfortunate) ear and set the pad of forms in front of him. Merlin was firmly convinced it was always the good looking ones that were the most evil, especially around Christmas. “No, _sir_. Can I help you with your packages?” He clicked the pen especially hard.

“Yes, I need these wrapped.”

“I figured that out since you are at the wrapping station,” Merlin bit out.

“Now, where is your holiday cheer, _Mer_ lin?” the man reached out and batted at the bell on the end of Merlin’s hat, his admittedly brilliant smile making Merlin’s blush deepen.

“It ran out with the coffee about six hours ago. Name.”

“Arthur.”

Merlin wrote down pratface.

“Presents.”

 _Arthur_ fished around in his department store bag and handed over a pair of slippers. “These are for Morgana.”

Merlin raised an eyebrow. “Girlfriend?”

Arthur scoffed. “Sister.”

“Do you hate her or something?” Merlin asked as he wrote down, “ugly slippers for Morgana.”

“What? I’ll have you know that those slippers are cashmere and are worth more than you’ll make in…”

“Yeah, yeah,” Merlin interrupted, “but did you know there are cashmere lined leather gloves with a matching scarf on sale in Debenhams? Much nicer than…whatever these are.”

“I…what…really?” Arthur asked.

Merlin decided he liked seeing Arthur flustered and nodded, his bell jingling, a small smile curling at his lips.

Arthur cleared his throat, took the slippers back and put them in the bag. “I will go have a look.”

Merlin crossed out the ugly slipper remark.

Arthur reached back in and pulled out a red silk tie.

“This is for Uther, my father.”

Merlin wrote down ‘power tie for dad’ and sighed.

“What?” Arthur barked.

Merlin looked up giving his best innocent face. “Nothing. If you’re a walking cliché.”

“I’ll have you know that my father _loves_ ties. He wears them every day for work and on the weekends at our Sunday brunch.”

Merlin made a face. “Would you really want to get a part of your work uniform for Christmas?”

“I…I didn’t really think of it that way,” Arthur responded, brow wrinkled in a confused, adorable kind of way as he considered the tie. “What…what would you suggest?”

Merlin sucked on the end of his pen in thought and blushed when he saw Arthur was watching his gross habit raptly. He pulled it out with a pop. “What kind of man is he?”

Arthur looked away quickly. “Powerful, driven, distant…”

“Foyles has leather bound journals.” Merlin shrugged. “It might be a nice way to express himself if he can’t verbally.”

Arthur smiled. “That’s kind of brilliant really. I remember he had one when I was a child.”

Merlin couldn’t really help but smile at the wistful tone and crossed off the power tie.

Arthur returned it to his bag and pulled out a long slim box. Merlin instantly grimaced.

“Girlfriend?” he asked as his stomach dropped for some inexplicable reason.

Arthur shrugged. “A girl that I don’t really like but we went on some dates and it’s kind of expected and…” He shoved the jewelry box at Merlin. “Tell me what you think.”

Merlin flipped it open and was immediately blinded by diamonds and sapphires and snapped it shut, catching his finger in the hinge. “Ow, fuck!” he yelled, as he dropped the box on the counter and immediately began to flail his hand about.

“Oh, Jesus,” Arthur said as he made a grab for Merlin’s hand but missed. “Are you alright?”

“Fine, it’s fine. Just stings.”

“Let me see it,” Arthur demanded.

“It’s fine, really.”

“People don’t flail if they’re fine, Merlin.”

“No…really…”

“I’ll file a complaint.”

Merlin glared. “That’s dirty,” he said but he acquiesced.

Arthur’s fingers were strong and warm as they cradled Merlin’s hand and Merlin had to think of lots of unpleasant things to keep the butterflies in his belly from getting too excited.

Arthur frowned at the red-purple spot on Merlin’s finger. “That’s a nasty pinch. It’ll bruise.”

“Maybe I’ll be able to go home early,” Merlin said, hopefully.

Arthur snorted. “Not likely.”

Merlin chuckled. “No, not likely.”

“So…it was that bad, huh?”

“That gift says next year’s gift will be an engagement ring.”

“That is…definitely not what I want to convey,” Arthur said as he continued to absently run his fingers over Merlin’s palm.

Merlin’s whole body warmed at the touch.

“What would you suggest?”

“The slippers?”

Arthur threw his head back and laughed.

“Alright, the slippers for Sophia,” he said.

Merlin cleared his throat. “I’ll need my hand back to write it down.”

Arthur turned as red as Merlin’s shirt when he looked down. Merlin extracted his hand, making sure his own long fingers lightly dragged over Arthur’s. He smiled shyly, gave Arthur a look from under his eyelashes and inwardly cheered when Arthur flushed.

Merlin wrapped the slippers quickly, probably the fastest he had done all day, and walked back over to the counter. He handed the package over.

“I’ll be back when I have the others,” Arthur said with a smile. “What time do you close?”

“Twenty minutes before the mall ,” Merlin answered , quickly, but he hoped not too eagerly.

Arthur left and Merlin stared at his arse until he disappeared into the throng of people.

\---

Merlin yawned widely and his jaw cracked as he put away all the wrapping while Gwen cleaned the counters. The lights of their little corner of the mall were finally dimmed and they had wrapped the last present a few minutes ago and now the loudspeaker was proclaiming that the mall would be closing in ten minutes. They had divided the tips and Merlin was going home with more cash than what he came in with, which was always a good thing. He tried to hide his disappointment that Arthur had not returned but honestly, what had he expected from a man that couldn’t even purchase gifts properly.

Gwen had already shrugged into her coat and her hat was sticking out of one of the pockets. “Driving home tonight, Merlin?” she asked.

He yawned again. “That’s the plan.”

“Be careful,” she said, kissing him lightly on the cheek. “I’ll see you when you get back. “

“Have a good Christmas with Lance,” he called after her. She turned and waved before going out the door.

Merlin sagged and put on his own coat, fumbling with the zipper since his hands stung from papercuts and the one bruise. He only seemed to get more tired as he contemplated the five hour drive to Ealdor to see his mother and best friend and half thought of climbing into bed for a nap and setting off in the wee hours.

“I hope I’m not too late,” a voice said from behind him.

Merlin sighed. “Sorry, we’re closed.”

“Even for coffee?”

Merlin turned around and was actually astonished to see Arthur standing there, two cups of coffee in his hands.

“Never for coffee,” he replied.

Merlin stepped out of the booth, locked it behind him, and took the offered coffee. It smelled strongly of peppermint and he let out a little moan at the warmth against his mouth and the taste of peppermint mocha.

“How did you know?” he asked, as he almost sank into the drink.

“Your holiday cheer ran out when you ran out of coffee. I figured, if anyone, one of Santa’s elves would need caffeine before heading out on Christmas Eve.”

“Ha, funny,” Merlin said with a scowl. He tore the hat off his head that he had forgotten he was wearing and stuffed it into his pocket.

“That is, at least, fifty percent better,” Arthur said.

“God, you’re an arse even when you’re trying to be nice. I bet you’re on the naughty list.”

Arthur smirked, leaned in close, his breath a hot puff against Merlin’s ear. “I guarantee you. I am on the top of the naughty list.”

Merlin swallowed a large sip of his drink and burned his throat. “Well then,” he said, voice a little shaky, “you’ll have to show me what got you there.”

Arthur chuckled low and the sound sent a pleasant shiver down Merlin’s spine. “I intend to. When are you available?”

“Well, you know it’s a busy time of year for us elves, but I should be available in say, three days.”

“Perfect.”

They exchanged numbers and Arthur walked Merlin to his car. Before they parted and before Merlin’s brain could talk him out of it, he leaned in, pressed a quick kiss to Arthur’s lips, tasting peppermint and chocolate.

“Merry Christmas,” Merlin said with a cheeky grin.

“Indeed,” Arthur said, before kissing him back.

Merlin decided, as the kiss deepened and Arthur’s tongue was becoming intimately acquainted with his own, that it really was his duty, as an elf, to judge if Arthur’s actions could really be classified as naughty and as such would warrant a place on the naughty list. Besides, he could drive to Ealdor in the morning.


End file.
